


Princess of the New Horde

by Orkycrafty



Series: Long Live the Queens [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chronic Pain, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Scorptra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21688360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orkycrafty/pseuds/Orkycrafty
Summary: Sequel fic to "Love (and Revolution) in the Fright Zone" (formerly "Long Live the Queens"). Scorpia rules the Fright Zone after leading a coup against Hordak, but all is not well. Tensions with the Princess Alliance still exist, and not everyone is happy with her rule...
Relationships: Catra/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Series: Long Live the Queens [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563430
Comments: 9
Kudos: 44





	Princess of the New Horde

**Author's Note:**

> Scorpia has more or less settled into her new role as ruler of the Fright Zone, even if it's exhausting. At least she gets to wake up next to the love of her life.

Scorpia switches from sleep to wakefulness in a mere moment.

She doesn’t really have to, anymore, but old habits are hard to break. About two decades of early-morning drills will do that to you.

Carefully, she stretches the last remaining sleep from her limbs, doing her best to not disturb the person sleeping beside her. A soft chuckle causes her to freeze.

“Mornin,” the voice murmurs, still thick and groggy.

A smile crosses Scorpia’s face involuntarily, and she turns over on to her side to meet Catra’s bleary-eyed gaze. Just like every morning before, the sight of her face sends a little thrill through Scorpia’s chest. Her fur just a little rumpled, partially obscured by a tangled mane with a bad case of bed head. It’s the most beautiful thing Scorpia has ever seen.

“Hey,” she finally replies. “Did I wake you up?”

Catra shakes her head. “Nah. I was just watching you sleep.”

Scorpia’s smile widens into a stupid grin.

Catra rolls her eyes. “It’s not because I like you or anything,” she says, tone playful.

Scorpia giggles and shimmies closer to Catra’s face. “You looooove meeeeee,” she teases.

Catra blushes slightly, but then covers it up by suddenly darting forward to plant a light kiss on Scorpia’s lips. She pulls away again, grinning at Scorpia’s stupefied face. “Nah, I’m just here because dating a Princess has great perks.”

Scorpia shakes the shock from her face and, in a mock indignant voice, asks, “what perks?”

Catra cocks an eyebrow and simply answers, “waking up next to you.”

Scorpia doesn’t have an immediate answer to that, and instead starts to open and close her mouth like a fish gasping for air, face quickly turning beet red. 

Catra giggles at the sight, then reaches out one finger to gently close Scorpia’s jaw for her. “Now then, Princess. Don’t you have work to do?”

Scorpia groans. “Do I have to?”

“You’re the one who organized a coup, remember,” Catra reminds her, teasingly. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re the only reason Entrapta hasn’t blown us all up by now.”

Scorpia sighs. Among the many things she has to do today, checking up on what Entrapta is up to is at the top of the list. Plus, there’s some kind of diplomatic delegation from the Princess Alliance arriving today, and that means an official welcome, a tour, one of those awful state dinners, and another round of empty words and hollow compliments.

“Can’t I just stay here with you?” she pleads, puppy dog eyes in full effect as she snuggles closer to Catra.

Catra’s response is another quick peck on the lips, followed by shoving Scorpia away. Scorpia makes a small noise of protest, but relents by rolling out of bed and getting to her feet.

She stands to her full height, letting out a deep sigh, and rolls her shoulders to get some of the stiffness of sleep out. She cracks her neck, then raises her arms above her head to stretch her back out. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches Catra staring at her appreciatively. She blushes, but works up the courage to strike a pose and ask, “like what you see?”

Catra rumbles an affirmation, then continues, “I am so glad you stopped wearing the uniform in bed.”

Scorpia’s blush deepens, but she shakes her head to clear it. She frowns and shakes a claw at Catra indignantly. “Hey! Stop distracting me! Weren’t you just trying to get me to leave?”

Catra shrugs languidly. “Haven’t you heard? I’m just mean like that.” Her mouth splits into a wicked grin. “Now you have something to think about while you deal with whoever the Princesses decided to send.”

Scorpia turns away, grumbling, “that’s not very helpful…”

Catra cackles. Scorpia decides to ignore her, and instead walks off to the bathroom in a huff. She intends to go directly to the shower, but her reflection in the mirror catches her eye. She stops and turns to take a better look.

The past couple of months have definitely changed her. There’s something in her eyes, she thinks. Maybe they look just a little older, a little wiser. As she watches, a lick of scarlet lightning plays through her pupils, reminding her of the power that she has access to on a whim, now.

Her eyes travel upwards, to where her hair is looking a little long and shaggy. The sides have begun to grow out in little tufts, and the top is almost long enough now to gather into the tiniest ponytail.

She clicks her tongue in dissatisfaction. “I haven’t had time, with everything going on, to have my hair cut.”

Catra’s voice comes from the other room, “I like it. Long hair might look cute on you.”

“You think so?” Scorpia asks, a smile spreading across her face. She turns back to the mirror and eyes her hair with new appreciation. “Maybe I’ll grow it out then.”

“You can always cut it again, if you don’t like it.” Scorpia nods in agreement, and after a few more moments of examining herself in the mirror, finally pulls herself away to start her shower.

It isn’t very long before she returns to the main bedroom, one towel tied around her chest and another wrapped around her head. “I’ve been thinking,” she says over her shoulder as she moves to the closet, “that maybe I should ask Entrapta about installing hot water in the Fright Zone. Apparently hot showers are nicer than cold ones?” She rummages for a moment before producing a uniform identical to every other one on her side of the closet. “What do you think?” she asks, as she turns to face Catra on the bed.

Catra nods, attempting a smile, but her mouth is pressed into a thin line of pain. Scorpia immediately drops the uniform and rushes to the bedside.

“Wildcat! Are you ok?”

Catra nods quickly, letting out a harsh sigh through her nostrils. Scorpia’s eyebrows knit together in concern.

“Is it your back?” she asks, quietly.

Catra nods again, then shakes her head, then shrugs. ‘It- it’s ok. Just…”

“Please tell me?” Catra’s eyes flick up to Scorpia’s face, then return to a spot on the bedcovers.

“My- my legs hurt…” She grimaces as a fresh wave of pain washes over her.

Scorpia frowns. “I thought you couldn’t feel your legs?”

“I can’t. I don’t- it’s just so much…” She squeezes her eyes shut against the tears gathering at their corners. Her hand reaches out to grip Scorpia’s arm and squeeze it tight enough to dig her claws into her skin.

Scorpia doesn’t even flinch, and just reaches up with her other claw to caress Catra’s face. “It’s ok, Wildcat. Just breathe, ok? Deep breaths. Do you need me to get you something? I think there are painkillers somewhere-”

Catra lets out a long, shuddering breath and shakes her head. “No. You don’t have to. I think- I think it’s going away now.”

Scorpia stays right where she is until Catra finally loosens her grip on her arm, then moves up onto the bed. She sits on the edge, body twisted around to face Catra. For a long time, she sits silently with Catra, uncertain of what to say but not wanting to leave her alone right now.

“You really should go,” Catra finally says. “I’ll be ok. This- this just happens, sometimes.”

Scorpia shakes her head. At this point she could care less about her royal appointments. Her Wildcat is hurting. “This has happened before?” she asks softly, face twisting with concern.

Catra shrugs, not meeting Scorpia’s gaze. “It comes and it goes.” She wraps her arms around her in a tight embrace. “Well, it comes, at least.”

“What does that mean?” Catra turns her face a little farther away from Scorpia’s gaze. “Wildcat. Please tell me what’s happening to you?” Scorpia places a claw on Catra’s shoulder.

Catra sighs and closes her eyes. “It hurts. It- it always hurts. Ever since Hordak- ever since my legs stopped working. Sometimes… it just gets worse.”

Scorpia is struck dumb. She just stares at Catra, trying to find the words. After what seems like a small eternity, she manages to ask, “always? You’re- does it ever stop?”

Catra shakes her head. “Sometimes it’s better than other times, but it never goes away entirely. The days it gets really bad…” She finally turns to look at Scorpia, her eyes apologetic. “I try to hide in here when it gets bad. I didn’t want to worry you.”

Scorpia closes her eyes and gently shakes her head. “Wildcat…” She pulls away from Catra and runs a claw through her hair. “I wish you had told me! I mean, you’re constantly in pain and I had no idea!”

“There’s nothing you could have done.” Catra frowns. “And you already have so much to worry about. I didn’t want to add to that.” She reaches out to Scorpia, lightly placing one hand on her bicep. “Scorpia, look at me.”

Scorpia sighs but does as she asks, meeting Catra’s pleading gaze with her own. Catra tries to smile, but the edges are still tight with pain. Scorpia feels tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, and blinks them away.

“I’m not mad, Wildcat.” She scoots closer to Catra and grabs her arms with her claws. “I’m scared. Losing your legs- or, not being able to move them, that was bad enough, but this?” She shakes her head, sighing. “I just wish I knew how to help you.”

Catra gently cups Scorpia’s cheek in her palm, wiping away a tear with her thumb. She manages a smile, and murmurs, “hey. I’ll be ok. I can deal with it. And… and when I can’t, at least now I can count on moral support from my favorite girl.”

Scorpia chuckles. “Yeah?”

Catra nods solemnly. “Absolutely. Entrapta’s going to be so much help.”

Scorpia snorts, partially out of surprise. “Really?” she asks, starting to chuckle. “You’re going to pull that now?”

Catra grins and rolls his eyes. “You know I’m just joking.”

“I know.” Scorpia pulls Catra close to plant a firm, loving kiss on Catra’s lips. Catra eagerly reciprocates for several moments, before abruptly pulling away.

Scorpia makes a sad noise, but Catra places a hand out to stop her for returning for more. “You still have work to do today.”

Scorpia frowns and shakes her head. “No way. You’re more important. Entrapta will understand, and I can just reschedule with whoever the Princess Alliance sent…”

“You know that isn’t a good idea. They already don’t like us very much. You blowing them off will just make them mad. Probably not the best diplomatic move.” She chuckles and adds, “even though it would be hilarious.”

Scorpia starts to argue, but is stopped by the look in Catra’s eye. She sighs and raises her claws placatingly. “Fine, fine. I’ll go and do what I have to, but as soon as I’m free I’m coming straight back here to keep you company, ok?”

“I know you will. Now go get dressed. A towel isn’t exactly proper attire,” she observes wryly.

Scorpia looks down at herself, still wrapped in her towel from her shower, and blushes. “Right! I’m… going to go do that.” She pushes herself off the bed and rushes back to the bathroom, scooping up her uniform as she goes.

It isn’t long before she reemerges, fully dressed and more or less ready for the day. She checks the clock and cringes; she’s already late. She hurries to the door, stopping only briefly to peck Catra on the cheek.

The door opens as she approaches, but she stops just before stepping out into the hallway beyond to glance back at Catra. Catra raises an eyebrow and makes a shooing motion with one hand, which causes Scorpia to giggle before taking that last step, the door closing behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> So.... this took a while. I kind of lost motivation to write after finishing the first fic, and I only really just got it back. Going to try and keep this going now that I don't have school to worry about for a few months. Anyway, hope you enjoy, please comment and tell me what you think!


End file.
